The Promise of Love

by Billi Jean

  She choked so badly that he pulled over, a bit worried he’d killed her. She finally gasped for breath and smacked him on the chest, without any heat but pretty damn adorable. He kissed her, relieved he’d not damaged her. “Damn, you scared me.”

  “You are impossible. I mean, who says stuff like that?”

  “Me?” he offered with a grin, sliding onto the road and taking his sandwich back. “Better get the turkey one.”

  “It wasn’t the roast beef sandwich, mister. It was you. I was busy. I showered, then went to the store—”

  “What? Why?”

  She chewed her bite of sandwich then said, “Uh, I needed a few things?”

  “Oh, right, well, I can take you—”

  “It was up the street, David. I can walk.”

  Oh yeah, she was still sore over almost choking to death. “Well, if you need me to, I can stop by to see about the car,” he offered. Will, much to his irritation, hadn’t been able to fix it. They’d had it towed to the local mechanic’s shop thinking it better to have it there, than at a potential bust.

  “No, that’s okay, really, I like to walk, hence the hike is a great idea, although those clouds don’t look so good.”

  He took another bite and tried not to get all crazy happy about how willing she was to work with him. She also didn’t seem to hold a grudge, because she elbowed him with a grin to get the sandwich back. He handed it over and took the tea, watching her more than the road. She seemed to be over her anxiety now, but he wasn’t keen on testing that out by leaving her alone for too long. He got it. One hundred percent got it. He hadn’t found out why she’d allowed last night, with Will, but he would. He bet on some jerk hurting her, or something along those lines. She was too…damn sweet for it not to be.

  “Do you think it will snow before we get there?” she asked, sipping the tea after and smiling. “Oh, this is good. Peach?”

  He cleared his throat again and nodded. He’d stood at the grocery store staring at the display of drinks, not sure what to get her. The peach just seemed to fit, plus he liked it. “The clouds are trouble,” he agreed, when he could take his eyes off her.

  She even ate cute. But what about her wasn’t captivating? Not a damn thing. She was even one of those women who must have gotten wise enough to get laser hair removal. He wasn’t sure if all guys liked that baby soft feel on a woman’s privates or not, but he went nuts over it. But why, he wondered, had she? Some guy? The thought made him madder than hell and he didn’t even know the man.

  “So where are we going?” the woman driving him nuts asked.

  He was seriously losing his mind if he already wanted to pound someone for ever being near her.

  “Just up here,” he said, checking the navigation system. “Yep, right here. Hey, so why are you bare? You know, on your pussy? Why did you go that way?”

  She choked again, and he went to pat her back but stopped when she plastered her hand on his chest and coughed as if she had black lung. “Shit, I’m sorry, whoa, I need to think longer than a second, huh?”

  “No,” she gasped, her eyes watering. “Maybe longer than an hour, okay? I mean, where did that come from? Who doesn’t nowadays? It’s just…cleaner feeling. David! Watch the road!”

  He swerved to stay on it, grinning probably like a fool. He might not be good at this shit, but he was getting answers. She liked the clean feeling? He hoped like hell she liked what he did, too. This morning he’d given her three orgasms before he’d let her feet touch the shower floor again. He’d die a happy man doing that every day, too. She was addictive.

  “Sorry, sorry, yeah, got the road,” he said in a rush when they skidded a little.

  She gave him a wild-eyed stare but exhaled with a hand on his arm. “Yeah, sure you do, so any other questions before I take a drink?” She squinted at him until he shook his head and silently took the sandwich back. He took a big bite, pleased as hell by her answer.

  “So why do you shave, you know, down there?”

  He swallowed his mouthful too fast, just like she knew he would. Half gasping around the sub roll, he shot her a dirty look that made her smile so wide that she glowed.

  “I like it, less trouble,” he added with a wink. “I didn’t know you noticed.”

  “Oh, I didn’t, I guessed.”

  “Brat!” He couldn’t believe he’d fallen for that dig so easy. She was a genius, obviously quick as a whip, skated like a dream and made his heart race by just smiling. What was it about her?

  “I’m not a brat, and is this it?” she asked, getting up on her knees to see where he’d pulled over.

  “Yep, this is it.” He checked the time. Almost one in the afternoon gave them a good three hour walk. “We hike for a few hours, around that bluff and over that rise, and get back here by a bit after four, tops. Sound good? Too far?”

  “Please, I can hike you into the dirt,” she said with such bravado he had to kiss her.

  He did, pulling her to him, still on her knees when he did. He let her go before they got too wild, but quickly smacked her butt. “We’ll see about that, princess.”

  She tugged him back by his jacket collar and kissed him. “Yes, I guess we will. You carry the sandwiches and try to warn me if you’re going to ask something super personal.”

  “Right,” he said. “I got that real quick.” He got out, and caught her as she moved down. “And you, huh?”

  “And me,” she agreed with a pleased, shy grin as she scooted down his body.

  “Yeah, unless I kill you by choking.” He set her down on her feet.

  “True, very, very true,” she whispered, then shocked him by swatting his butt when he turned.

  “Woman,” he cautioned, but she simply giggled, cute as hell, and took off. He didn’t mind, since that meant he got a good view of her gorgeous ass in her jeans. “Are you going to be warm enough in that fleece?”

  She paused and turned. “Sure, it’s not that cold, but I think it’s going to snow.”

  “Makes it warmer, right?” He shrugged his backpack on and adjusted his holster so it was hidden. Of all the things she’d asked him, she’d never once questioned him or Will about their weapons. But then, they’d both been upfront with her about what they did, at least mostly. “Listen, this is safe, walking with me. I’m just assessing the area.”

  “For bad guys?” she asked.

  He held in his grin because really, he shouldn’t laugh at her so much.

  “Not a chance,” he assured her and slung his arm over her shoulders. “Besides, I’m a big guy, remember?”

  His boasting earned him a light thump on his stomach then a frown. “You are way too hard, too.”

  “That I am,” he promised. “That I am, but that’s for later.”

  Her eyes widened then she giggled, holding her mittens over her face.

  “Oh, I know you’re blushing—that doesn’t help at all. Come on,” he urged, not wanting to stop getting to know her now that he’d put sex off the menu. At least for the next six or so hours. Maybe longer, he surmised, if he held off until after dinner.

  “You like to make me blush, don’t you?” she accused, taking her mittens off and tucking them into the pockets of her fleece. “I think that explains a lot, mister,” she added with a calculating expression that didn’t quite make it past her smile.

  “Ah, come on, already you have me down? Give me a few more days before you box me up and send me off, okay?”

  She giggled then shocked him by tickling her fingers inside his coat, right to the sensitive spot along his ribs.

  “Christ almighty, woman!” He jerked away and laughed harder when she collapsed against him, holding her sides. She was so pleased, though, he had to give in and hug her again. “Crazy woman, are you a psychic as well as prettier than a picture?”

  “David,” she whispered, stopping laughing to stare at him. “That was so sweet.”

  Embarrassed, he tugged her around and started walking. The snow was deep, but it was e
asy to walk through.

  “You like to hike?” he asked, settling his stride to match hers.

  “Yeah, it’s nice, getting outside and exploring the woods, and these mountains are beautiful. Do you like to hike?”

  “Sure, I guess.”

  “Oh, that sounds convincing,” she muttered. “Well, what do you like to do?”

  What do I like to do?

  Suddenly, he didn’t know. He liked to read, he liked to relax, but that was lying around and watching movies, not very interesting.

  “Read? Watch movies? What? Race cars?” she asked.

  “Not into dangerous sports, other than you.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “I read some, watch movies, boring now that I think about it.”

  “Because you should have some dazzling, exciting life, like, maybe being some warrior or something? Hero?” she asked, then grinned. “You already do those things, so why would you want more excitement?”

  “Well, I like basketball and hockey,” he admitted, remembering he did like both sports. Watching and playing. “You like to skate.”

  “I do,” she said with feeling. “It’s always been the one thing I’ve been good at.”

  He frowned over that, puzzling out her meaning. It was obvious to him she was smart, funny and had a sweet streak a mile long. But that sounded both sincere and a bit embarrassed.

  Before he could pin her down, she asked, “What’s your favorite movie?”

  “Iron Man 2,” he said, then followed up with, “Three is pretty funny shit, too, though.”

  “Both were good,” she agreed. “I liked it when he got all panicky and also when Pepper kicked butt. That was good.”

  “Yeah, then she freaked out,” he reminded her.

  “But that’s what made it so real, not that it was real, but if I did that, I’d freak out, too.”

  He bet she would. She was so small he doubted she’d ever even gotten in a girl fight. She’d sure freaked out on him. “So, why did you do it? Last night?”

  Her body stiffened under his arm, but after a few minutes of avoiding his question, she finally sighed heavily.

  “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me,” he urged, biting the side of his cheek at her disgruntled sigh.

  “Have you ever done something knowing it wasn’t the thing to do, but unable not to?”

  He frowned and thought about that. Before he could answer she went on, “Not last night, I don’t regret that for a moment.” Another sigh, then she said quietly, “I mean, when your instincts warned you not to trust someone, and you blindly go on and do it, pushing aside all your misgivings and just going along with them?”

  The way she’d said that made him worry he’d pushed too far. Trusting she was honest, he puzzled out what she had said instead of what his own worries were. He could think of ways his instincts had guided him in combat, and when his orders had gone against them. Too many times he’d had that chill that things were not right, and gone on with a mission. The Sentinels were proof of that. But she meant something else entirely.

  “Like bury my head in the sand and go out on some insane mission because my commander ordered it?” he teased.

  She snorted and hit him on the stomach.

  “What was that for?” he demanded, but knew. “You mean you let someone pressure you into something you didn’t want, and didn’t even admit to yourself you didn’t want it?”

  Her pace slowed and she sought out his face as if to check that he was serious.

  “Like you knew there wasn’t a reason to trust but you wanted to so you did, even when deep down you didn’t want to? That’s why you slept with me last night?” He threw that out there, knowing that wasn’t it at all. His guess was she was talking about someone else, maybe a whole lot of someones she’d trusted in her life.

  “No, that’s where you’re wrong. With you my instincts said to trust and I went along with you with my eyes wide open, not sensing a thing other than”—she waved at him—“you, and how good you are.”

  “Good?” He snorted, but deep down he liked that. Liked it a whole lot.

  “You know what I mean. I guess I needed to break away from the cycle, you know? I’m not used to doing things for me, but I did with you and it turned out okay.”

  He laughed at the doubtful end of her bold statement, as if he might suddenly prove her wrong. “Princess, I’m damn glad you did, have I mentioned that?”

  She rolled her eyes again, but he could tell she was happy with his response. He wanted more details, but he settled for what she’d given him so far. It made sense to him in a way it might not to other people. He’d been raised in foster homes, one after another, and each time he’d opened the door and walked in, it was always with the same misgivings mixed with hopefulness that this time he would be cared for right. Each time he’d been wrong, until he’d stopped hoping and started building a wall to keep safe.

  “Oh,” she cried and ducked.

  He watched her pick up a solitary stone from the edge of a small creek bed. “It looks like a heart!”

  He examined the gray and black rock, and sure enough it did.

  “Here, you keep it safe, okay?” She laughed and gave him the stone. “You’ll be better at protecting it than me.”

  His heart thudded painfully at her words, and that easy he wanted it—her heart. What would that be like? To keep her safe?

  “David!” she whispered, pointing up the path.

  He spotted a doe, then two more behind at the same moment the deer must have spied them. The three deer bounded away, knocking snow down from the tall pines as they startled.

  “Beautiful, huh?” he asked, and pocketed the little stone.

  “Yeah, so beautiful. Thank you,” she added when they started walking again.

  “For?”

  “For taking me hiking.” She glanced at his face. “And maybe for a few other things.”

  He grinned and settled her closer to him. She kept pace pretty well, taking her time to position her feet when it proved slippery a few times, but going at a good, solid walk.

  “So, let’s talk about you.”

  She stumbled and laughed. “Okay, let’s talk about me. What do you want to know?”

  “Well, I already know a few things. You like to skate. Let’s see, you like pineapple and you like to look nice.”

  “I like to look nice?” she repeated. “Who likes to look messy?”

  “Well, some people might,” he teased. “You paint your nails. They’re cute. You also dress nice—”

  “I don’t, not really. I wear jeans and dresses but I don’t dress up, dress up, like some fashion model or bling-bling girl.”

  He lost her at that, because he wanted to see her in a dress. And ‘bling-bling’ girl? She hadn’t brought a dress, but maybe he could buy her one. He liked the thought of buying her things.

  “Why do you think I like pineapple?”

  “You wanted a pina colada last night.”

  “How did you know that?”

  “I watched you,” he said simply. “You tapped the pina colada but went for the rum and Coke.”

  “You guys were ordering beer and that makes me feel full, plus run to the bathroom every ten seconds, but I thought a frilly drink was too girly.”

  “You are girl, hence, you’re girly.”

  She laughed, catching his teasing her on her use of ‘hence’ earlier pretty quickly.

  “Right, I am,” she said, but didn’t sound upset by that. “I’m kinda used to being a girl, being born this way and all.”

  “Yeah,” he breathed and turned her to brush a kiss to her lips. “And I’m damn glad you were,” he told her. They’d done well. He guessed they’d covered the mountain in just under an hour. “Look, now isn’t that worth the hike?”

  He turned her around to face the brilliant scenery and she leaned back into him with a sigh. “It’s really beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah,” he agreed.
He wrapped his arms around her, sure she meant the view, but he was talking about the woman in his arms. The mountains were spectacular though. The heavy bold peaks covered in white but still clearly rugged and dangerous. The trees softened the wilderness but out here, it would be easy to become lost in all the white. “You’ve not asked me about— Wait, I’m going to ask something personal, are you drinking anything? Eating?”

  She laughed and tipped her head up and to the side to meet his eyes. “Nope, go ahead, what now?”

  He cocked an eyebrow at that and instead of asking why she hadn’t asked about Will, took an easy question out of the bucket list he had going. “Why haven’t you asked what my favorite sex position is yet? And if I tell, will you?”

  She blushed pinker than he’d ever seen her and dropped her head in her hands. “You are really trying to embarrass me.”

  “No,” he lied. “I’m not, just curious, you know, for the future. Let’s keep walking, come on, you can share with me. Promise.”

  “I’m not discussing this. Can’t we talk about what you do for work? That sounds exciting. I’m sure that’s rude, but it does. I mean, you’re wearing a gun now!”

  He skimmed her face and only found genuine curiosity and a little admiration in her eyes. That shouldn’t have made him feel awkward, but it did.

  “I am, but only because I have to, not because I think there’s a threat. The only thing dangerous out here besides some hibernating bear we might wake up is those clouds.”

  She glanced at the sky and squinted. “Yeah, that’s going to be a lot of snow. Maybe a blizzard. I heard that the other side of these mountains lost power and is buried under a few feet.”

  If he were snowed in with her, he’d not be able to get over the thrill. It could only get better if there were no television and no lights, so all she had was him to keep her entertained.

  “Do you play cards?”

  “Cards? Like gamble with my money?” she asked, glancing at him.

  “Naw, not like that, but five card stud?”

  “Monopoly,” she offered then smiled. “But I know how to play twenty-one, isn’t that what it’s called? And oh, that game where you try to make a straight or… That’s five card stud, isn’t it?”